Diana Lynn Pope

Diana Lynn (Leipard) Pope, 69, of Maryville, Missouri, passed away at home on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, with family at her side.

Diana was born on February 21, 1952, in Kansas City, MO, to L.H. and Lila June (Jeffrey) Leipard.  They preceded her in death.  She was also preceded by her brother, Steven Leipard.

She had lived in Parkville, Missouri, and moved to this area 20 years ago.

She received her bachelor’s degree in Geography and Geology from Northwest Missouri State University in 2007.  Then her Master’s in G.I.S., (Geographic Information Systems), also from Northwest.  She was a adjunct faculty member at Northwest Missouri State, where she taught labs in Geology and Geography.

Diana has a Radiolarian fossil named after her: “Entactinia dianae”.

She belonged to several national and international organizations related to Geography and Geology.  Diana had a special interest in volcanoes and igneous rocks.

On February 26, 2005 in Maryville, Missouri, Diana was united in marriage to John P. Pope.  He survives at the home in Maryville.

Other survivors include her daughter, Melissa (Ryan) Watzke, Omaha, Nebraska; stepson, Lee Pope, Chicago, Illinois, stepdaughter, Leia (Dennis Morris) Pope, Boulder, Colorado; and 2 grandchildren: Brianna and Elizabeth Watzke.

Diana had been cremated under the care of the Bram Funeral Home, Maryville, Missouri.

Her inurnment will be at a later date at the White’s Chapel, in Gladstone, Missouri.